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Mk1 Single Leading Shoe Pedal Goes To Floor, General Brake Help

brakes

Best Answer 1962AustinMiniLHD , 18 January 2022 - 02:49 AM

Do the brakes pump up?

Its also worth checking the master cylinder (feel the push road under the dash that connects the brake pedal) to see if its leaking.

Also go through all the brake lines and the flexihoses and check for any leaks and check their general condition.



Thank you for the thoroughness. Priorities deemed today would not be the day I tackle this, but this is great advice for the next time I have a few free minutes.

The brake pedal does not pump up at all. The pedal takes zero effort to depress, with the only resistance being that of the return spring.

I’m gathering from the responses perhaps I need to take this thing to a specialist. I’d rather not take a chance with my, and my passengers lives by haphazardly finding my way through repairing these brakes since I am not able to dedicated as much time as it will probably require. There’s an MG-Austin Healey- Mini shop about 20 miles away, so I think I’ll give him a call.

I don’t think it would be a bad idea to have everything in good order to learn on for the first time through maintenance instead of necessity. Go to the full post


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#1 1962AustinMiniLHD

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Posted 17 January 2022 - 03:35 AM

Hello all,

First hello, this is my first post on this or any forum. My name is Anthony, I’m 20 years old from DFW, Texas.

I’ve wanted a mini since my first hot wheel at 6 years old and this past December I finally got my chance to get a “fully restored, perfect example of an all original MK1 mini.”

The reality is obviously very different. Something I am becoming aware of staring at my bright yellow 62 Austin.

As the elation starts to wear off from my first ever mini, I am faced with zero brakes, and a whole lot of confusion and lack of knowledge/experience.

The best way to explain it is there is no resistance in the brake pedal, no “hydraulic” feeling like the clutch.

I have adjusted the single adjuster on the front shoes (although a tad tight per my last test drive around the block, first try, hoping I get better with time) and attempted to do the same with the rears. However, I found with the rears, they never got tight. They spin freely no matter how far I turn in the screw (almost had a stripped feeling? Would get harder to turn the drum and then it would spin freely again.)

I was unable to get off the drums even with a small pry bar (is there a best practice for this?) so I was unable to look into the issue further, not that I would know what to look for.

I am going to attempt to bleed the brakes tomorrow, as I’ve been slowed down searching for DOT5 locally. The previous owner filled the system with this brake fluid, and swore by it.

So my question is (besides the multiple ones above) if bleeding the brakes tomorrow doesn’t fix my issue, where would be the next place to look? I assumed master cylinder but the hydraulic brake switch appears to be working. Perhaps I am mistaken to assume positive pressure in the system means my master cylinder is functioning correctly.

I look forward to any suggestions that any of you would be able to pass along to me. This is the start of my life long journey with this mini and likely many more in the future.

#2 Steam

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Posted 17 January 2022 - 05:40 AM

First of all, Welcome. Mini ownership is a lifestyle rather than car ownership.
Do the rears lock with the handbrake?
To get the rear hubs off you need to back the adjusters right off and lso the handbrake adjusters in the car.
Then a repetative tap with a medium hammer and pull or prise, rotate, tap pull etc. It may also need you to put the wheel nuts onto the studs to protect the threads and tap the wheel nuts also.
I would suggest the shoes are worn or there is a major issue with them.
Do not worry about bleeding until you can adjust all 4 wheels up as they should be.
And DOT5 silicone is fine as fluid though I suspect many on here will wail and howl that it is no good. I have been using it for years, no deterioration or stripped paint or rusted steel.
Report back and no need to stress.
Cheers Dave.

#3 1962AustinMiniLHD

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Posted 17 January 2022 - 11:28 AM

First of all, Welcome. Mini ownership is a lifestyle rather than car ownership.
Do the rears lock with the handbrake?
To get the rear hubs off you need to back the adjusters right off and lso the handbrake adjusters in the car.
Then a repetative tap with a medium hammer and pull or prise, rotate, tap pull etc. It may also need you to put the wheel nuts onto the studs to protect the threads and tap the wheel nuts also.
I would suggest the shoes are worn or there is a major issue with them.
Do not worry about bleeding until you can adjust all 4 wheels up as they should be.
And DOT5 silicone is fine as fluid though I suspect many on here will wail and howl that it is no good. I have been using it for years, no deterioration or stripped paint or rusted steel.
Report back and no need to stress.
Cheers Dave.


Yes, the rears lock with 3 clicks of the handbrake. Thank you for the advice on this, I would’ve been sitting there bleeding and bleeding with a funny look on my face in front of the mrs.

Will report back with my findings.

#4 Homersimpson

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Posted 17 January 2022 - 10:29 PM

The brake drums have a screw or two screws (depending on the year) that hold the drum to the hub, once you have backed off the shoes as mentioned above you then need to remove these screws before the drum will come off.

 

The easiest way to remove the screws (in my experience) is to get a large screwdriver and hammer it while turned it, this tends to free them off but if the head has already been chewed up then either a punch to tap them around or if really bad then drill them out.

 

In theory you don't need these screws and a lot of the time they are missing, the drum is held on by the wheel and the screws are really only there so you can adjust the drum with the wheel off (as without it being tight to the hub you can't acurately adjust them).

 

The single leading show brakes are adjusted at the front the same as the rear (if I remember correctly) and you need a square headed spanner to adjust them/wind them back. 

 

Do the brakes pump up?  If so it might be adjustment but I would take off all the drums, clean them out and replace any failed components then adjust them up, be careful because the brake dust may contain asbestos depending on how old the shoes and other bits are.

 

Its also worth checking the master cylinder (feel the push road under the dash that connects the brake pedal) to see if its leaking.

 

Also go through all the brake lines and the flexihoses and check for any leaks and check their general condition.

 

While the twin leading shoe front brakes aren't too bad with a standard engine the single leading show brakes are (in my limited experience) quite poor and if you plan to use the car much I would upgrade to either twin leading shoe (with better parts availability) or even better discs but that is a bit more of a job.

 

Best of luck!



#5 Ethel

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Posted 17 January 2022 - 11:53 PM

I second the hammer tapping. The drums corrode to the hub flanges, tap between the studs a few times, then around the edge alternating sides to get a sort of rocking motion that will "walk" it off the flange. A very light smear of copper grease on the flanges will make it much easier the next time.

 

 

 

...... do not use silicon fluid unless you remove every trace of regular fluid first. You won't manage that without a complete strip down of the whole system.



#6 stuart bowes

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Posted 17 January 2022 - 11:58 PM

sometimes with drums the shoes inside wear a groove into the inside surface of the drum and that kind of locks the whole thing together, tapping with hammer can free them up but sometimes not

 

Im no expert on any sort of mini but I know on some there is the option of unbolting the slave cylinder from the backing plate which is mentioned in this video 

 

 

skip to 1:40 ..  he has a different problem of brakes being seized but removal is still useful to watch

 

whether that applies to your make/model I dont know but I've experienced similar on various other cars so it's not specifically a mini problem

 

other than that good luck with it, don't let it beat you just treat it as an interesting puzzle ;)


Edited by stuart bowes, 18 January 2022 - 12:00 AM.


#7 1962AustinMiniLHD

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Posted 18 January 2022 - 02:49 AM   Best Answer

Do the brakes pump up?

Its also worth checking the master cylinder (feel the push road under the dash that connects the brake pedal) to see if its leaking.

Also go through all the brake lines and the flexihoses and check for any leaks and check their general condition.



Thank you for the thoroughness. Priorities deemed today would not be the day I tackle this, but this is great advice for the next time I have a few free minutes.

The brake pedal does not pump up at all. The pedal takes zero effort to depress, with the only resistance being that of the return spring.

I’m gathering from the responses perhaps I need to take this thing to a specialist. I’d rather not take a chance with my, and my passengers lives by haphazardly finding my way through repairing these brakes since I am not able to dedicated as much time as it will probably require. There’s an MG-Austin Healey- Mini shop about 20 miles away, so I think I’ll give him a call.

I don’t think it would be a bad idea to have everything in good order to learn on for the first time through maintenance instead of necessity.

#8 Ethel

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Posted 18 January 2022 - 01:32 PM

It's a very simple system, if you have any mechanical aptitude, so I wouldn't be put off having a go. Can't see you'd have much to lose since it'd really need trailering to get fixed already.



#9 sonscar

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Posted 18 January 2022 - 01:39 PM

To check the master cylinder and as you are going to have to bleed the brakes anyway,remove the brake pipe and block the port with a suitable bolt or spare bleed nipple.If ok it will be rock hard.As Ethyl says it is a very simple system.Have fun and gain enlightenment,Steve..



#10 REDICE

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Posted 19 January 2022 - 07:21 AM

For what a "specialist" will charge you, you can probably buy some new parts and a Haynes manual (a must have mini item) and get some satisfaction. As Ethel says it's a simple system if it is factory.







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